LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Coaches say lackluster play cause for struggle

HOUSTON - Coach Phil Jackson gathered the Lakers around him for what amounted to a pregame chat Wednesday at the Toyota Center.

He had a few points to make one night after the Lakers' losing streak reached three games.

Lamar Odom termed the meeting "a little unusual."

Since the Lakers didn't have a morning shootaround Wednesday after a late arrival from Memphis after their loss to the Grizzlies on Tuesday, Jackson carved out a few minutes to go over a few aspects of their game plan.

"I just went through what we would normally do in a practice or a film session in short order," Jackson said before the Lakers' loss to Houston. "I tried to get guys on board about various things we want to get accomplished.

"Offensively and defensively."

According to Jackson, there were between 30 and 35 things that happened during Tuesday's game the coaching staff wished to point out to the players before they hit the floor in an attempt to end their three-game skid.

Jackson ran down a list of typical defensive shortcomings, including shoddy play while running back after a missed shot or a turnover. He didn't dwell on them, however. Instead, he pointed out some very specific flaws.

"We stopped for questions and clarifications," Jackson added.

Before the Lakers' loss Sunday to Indiana, Jackson referred to the team's defensive play to start the season as "a little shabby, a little lackadaisical." The Lakers went into Wednesday giving up an average of 100.2 points.

Last season, while en route to winning their second consecutive NBA championship, the Lakers gave up an average of 97 points. They had held opponents to 100 or less in six of seven games going into Wednesday, however.

"The game is as simple as this: if you shoot a high percentage and you keep your opponent from shooting a high percentage, most of the time you win," Jackson said. "We've been shooting a low percentage, I think under 40 percent the last three games.

"Those are the most basic things."

Monitoring minutes

Odom went into the game averaging 35.2 minutes, second on the team behind Pau Gasol's average of 39.4 minutes and a bit higher than the 31.5 he averaged while playing mostly a reserve role last season. Odom said he's not feeling overburdened.

"I'm fine," he said. "Pretty good. I'm in shape. Once we're at full strength there won't be as many minutes for all of us and there won't be these long stretches. But until then, I'll just keep playing. But I feel all right."

Jackson said he wished he could play Odom more minutes, capitalizing on the versatile forward's many skills. Jackson likes to play Odom when opposing teams use smaller lineups against the Lakers, as the Grizzlies did for a while Tuesday.